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Federer missed Rafa |
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IOC letter to MS Gill
My Test career is over: Afridi
Messi hands Argentina injury scare
Legends
Polo Cup
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It’s clay time
Federer missed Rafa Paris, May 22 "It is hard to pick anybody to say if Roger and Rafa are not going to win who else will it be," Federer, wearing a blue polo shirt and looking calm, told reporters on Friday. "We'll see how we play. I hope we can play again in the future, because a year away from each other was maybe a bit long," he added. After 12 months without meeting Nadal, Federer finally caught up with him last week in the Madrid Masters final. The muscular Spaniard beat the Swiss last Sunday, a year after losing at the same stage in the same place. "I think anywhere we play is special", said Federer. "It's always a big match regardless of where it is, how it is. It's one of the great rivalries in sports right now, and obviously in our game the biggest one." Nadal and Federer have met 21 times, with the Spaniard coming out on top on 14 occasions, comfrotbaly winning three French Open finals against the Swiss.
Somdev: ‘Just glad I qualified’
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IOC letter to MS Gill
New Delhi, May 22 "In view of this, we would like to remind you, once more, that in the event where the directives issued by the Ministry would be imposed on the Olympic Movement in India (even for future elections), we would be forced to report this case to the next IOC Executive Board meeting (in June) according to the rules of the Olympic Charter, in particular Fule 28.9", the IOC letter said. The rule in question says "apart from the measures and sanctions provided in the case of infringement of the Olympic Charter, the IOC Executive Board may take any appropriate decisions for the protection of the Olympic Movement in the country of an NOC, including suspension of or withdrawal of recognition of such NOC if the constitution, law or other regulations in force in the country concerned, or any act by any Governmental or other body causes the activity of the NOC or the making or expression of its will to be hampered". The IOC letter was in response to a letter dated May 12 received from joint secretary in the Sports Ministry Injeti Srinivas. "We count on your understanding and co-operation in order to resolve this issue amicably and to ensure that the autonomy of the Olympic Movement in India is fully respected in accordance with the Olympic Charter", the letter concludes, making it very clear that the Ministry cannot run its writ in the running of the IOA and the Sports Federations. |
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My Test career is over: Afridi
Karachi, May 22 "Some of my well wishers and supporters wanted me to return to Test cricket. But it's the end of Test cricket for me and it's my firm decision," Afridi said. "Now my focus is forthcoming Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, T20 and ODI series in England and next year's World Cup," he told a state owned news agency. Afridi, who has not played a Test since 2006, conceded that his attacking style suited limited-over cricket more. "To be frank, Test cricket has its own demands and it doesn't suit my style. I love to play in attacking manner and I get it from T20 and ODIs," Afridi said. Afridi, who led Pakistan to the final of just concluded Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies, is expected to be given the ODI captaincy when Pakistan Cricket Board and selectors meet next week in Lahore. Asked about next month's Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, Afridi said, "It's my dream to win this continental title for the country. It will be a good tournament." "We need some solid batsmen in the middle order which is our trouble area," he said. After the Asia Cup, Pakistan play four Twenty20 Internationals and five ODIs in England besides the six Tests. Afridi has made 1683 runs in 26 Tests at an average of 37.40 and taken 47 wickets at an average of 34.89. Meanwhile, experienced all-rounder Abdul Razzaq is still undecided about continuing to play Test cricket. "The last time I played was three years ago so I really don't know but if the selectors feel I have a role to play in the Tests in England then I will give it a thought," Razzaq said. Razzaq, however, made it clear that he wanted to continue his limited over cricket career for Pakistan. — PTI
Akmal gets Waqar's backing
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Messi hands Argentina injury scare
Buenos Aires, May 22 "Messi is fine. It was only a knock and nothing else," said team official Nicolas Otamendi. Argentina were training ahead of a World Cup friendly match against Canada taking place here on Monday before flying to South Africa for the finals next Friday. Juan Sebastian Veron (Estudiantes) and Sergio Ag|ero (Atletico Madrid) both joined up with the squad on Friday. But Walter Samuel and Diego Milito (Inter Milan) and Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich) were missing as they are taking part in the Champions League final in Madrid today. — AFP
Peter Crouch bans Abbey from WC
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Legends Born on January 25, 1942, commonly known as Eusébio, is a retired Portuguese football forward of Mozambican origin. He is considered one of the best footballers of all-time,by the IFFHS. He helped the Portuguese national team reach third place at the 1966 World Cup, being the top goal-scorer of the tournament with nine goals (six of which were scored at Goodison Park) and was elected the European Footballer of the Year in 1965. He played for Benfica for 15 years, and is the team's all-time top scorer. Nicknamed "The Black Panther", Eusébio scored 727 goals in 715 games. He is also known for his speed and his powerful, accurate right-footed strike. He is considered Benfica and Portugal's most renowned player and the first world-class African striker. He was elected the 10th best footballer of the 20th century in a poll by the IFFHS. Pelé named Eusébio as one of the 125 best living footballers in his 2004 FIFA 100 list. In November 2003, to celebrate UEFA's Jubilee, he was selected as the Golden Player of Portugal by the Portuguese Football Federation as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years.
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Polo Cup
Chandigarh, May 22 "The final 20 aspiring racers represent the best raw talent the country has to offer. Polo Cup is the boost that the young drivers in India deserve and have been waiting for. We are thrilled as this is the first year of Polo Cup in India?, expressed Mr. Joerg Mueller, Volkswagen Group Chief Representative India. Over 1,100 motor sports enthusiasts from across the country registered to compete in the Polo Cup India 2010 and become a part of Indian motor sport history. After a strict selection process 20 young talents were chosen to form the starting grid in the first race in Pune. The team of selectors consisted of one driver selector & coach from Germany Polo Cup, two Indian driver coaches (experienced drivers from Volkswagen & JK Tyre) and one FMSCI representative, including some of the doyens of Indian motor sports like Akbar Ebrahim, India’s only principle instructor in racing, Farhan Vora, India?s guest F1 steward and Rayomand Banerji, six times National Champion.
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IHF to set up academy: KPS Gill Chandigarh, May 22 In an interview to The Tribune during his visit to the city the former DGP Punjab said the verdict of the Delhi High Court revoking the suspension of the federation was a victory of right over wrong and of truth over falsehood. “I will press for a thorough inquiry into how Hockey India spend crores in the past two years without having achieved anything much. There was tremendous expenditure in the so-called exposure of the national team on non-productive tours abroad. The teams were taken for matches to countries which are not very strong in Hockey. Hockey India got at least fifteen times more money than what has ever been given t “The past couple of years have also been disastrous for domestic Hockey. We have to revive it. We are planning for the nationals in June followed by the junior and the sub junior nationals,” he said. Concerned about the lack of training among players Gill said, “Players are being trained by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and some other academies including private ones. SAI is a great white elephant and a drain on resources. Others face dearth of facilities and are not able to produce players of the level we need if we have to come up in hockey. We have now decided that we will undertake training ourselves in an academy run by the IHF.” “We intend to run our academy along modern lines. We have to ensure that we have, in our training institute, an uncompromising standard for selection of the best players for training,” said the super cop. Gill added that exposure in foreign tournaments is useless until the tournament has a strong European presence, “though we would like to interact with the foreign associations and send out teams to play in the best tournaments abroad. When the IHF was illegally suspended we were the holders of the championship Asian in every age group. But we have slipped from the position and are no where in the Asian circuit,” he rued. “During the last three under-21 tournaments we have been respectably second in 1997, holders in 2001 and came to the fourth position in 2005. But our performance in 2009 was deplorable. We have to get back to the top in Asian and among the best five teams in the under 21 tournaments to have a strong senior team,” he said. Gill added that the IHF secretary K Jyotikumaran who was facing graft charges would not be involved in any administrative work for the time being. “He has volunteered to stay away from the work of the IHF till he is cleared of al the charges,” said Gill.
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Karachi, May 22
Argentina superstar Lionel Messi handed coach Diego Maradona a World Cup scare when he injured his right knee in a training match. Barcelona star Messi immediately left the practice session yesterday, but the seriousness of the injury was played down by officials.
Born on January 25, 1942, commonly known as Eusébio, is a retired Portuguese football forward of Mozambican origin. He is considered one of the best footballers of
all-time,by the IFFHS. He helped the Portuguese national team reach third place at the 1966 World Cup, being the top goal-scorer of the tournament with nine goals (six of which were scored at Goodison Park) and was elected the European Footballer of the Year in 1965. He played for Benfica for 15 years, and is the team's all-time top scorer.
Justine Henin feels at home at Roland Garros, surrounded by familiar faces and even happy to see her old locker. "I went to see the place with my locker in the locker rooms where I had won the last time. It's a sort of good-luck charm for me, that specific locker," Henin said. "But the most emotional thing was to meet people again, coming back after all those years and seeing the same people working for the tournament, with whom I had sort of created some friendly relationships, and also to come back to clay here, which is the best clay ever. I know the site perfectly well and I feel very much at ease here," said Henin, 27. Henin, champion in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007, is expecting a warm welcome. "I feel at home here because the French crowd always welcomed me incredibly well, and many Belgian people come because it's close," Henin said.
— Reuters
New Delhi: He has broken a 13-year-old jinx for India by making the French Open's main draw but for Somdev Devvarman coming through a Grand Slam's qualifying event is no big deal. A proven giant-killer, Somdev is, instead, determined to make his presence felt by winning some matches in the main event. The Assamese tennis sensation is the first Indian after veteran Leander Paes to make the main draw of the only Grand Slam played on clay court. "To be honest I haven't thought about it yet. I'm just glad I qualified and I'll give it my best shot to win some matches in the main draw," Somdev told PTI from Paris. "It's just the qualifying of a Slam. Hopefully I'll be in the main draw of many more Slams in the future," he adds. Clay court tennis is very demanding physically since balls come slow and long rallies test a player's endurance.
— PTI
Melbourne: Kamran Akmal, who is facing allegations of match-fixing during Pakistan's recent tour of Australia, got backing from his coach Waqar Younis who said he would consider the wicket-keeper for selection until the charges are proved. Intikhab Alam and Aaqib
Javed, Pakistan's coaches on the Australian tour, expressed suspicions over performance of Akmal who had dropped four catches and missed an easy run out chance in the Sydney Test.
London: Peter Crouch has banned his model girlfriend Abbey Clancy from the World Cup over fears she would turn England's campaign into a repeat of the WAGS 'circus' which dogged the last tournament in 2006. Crouch says he is determined just to focus on the football as it is the opportunity of a lifetime. "I would like to see my girlfriend but we have got four weeks to try and achieve something massive that would be with you for the rest of your life," the Mirror quoted Crouch as saying. "We could all cope with not seeing our loved ones for that long if it's an opportunity to win a World Cup. "At home, you go home to your wife after every single training session or game and it doesn't seem to affect the lads in any way. "In a World Cup everything is a lot more high profile. People want to take pictures and make a big deal of it. That side of it can be distracting. I don't disagree with them being out there but if they're gong to be photographed and there's a big circus about it. — ANI
Panaji:
Melbourne:
Irving: